


One Week in Georgia

by mpmottley



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Christmas, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-18
Updated: 2013-12-18
Packaged: 2018-01-05 02:15:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1088402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mpmottley/pseuds/mpmottley
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jim spends Christmas in Georgia with Bones' family.</p>
            </blockquote>





	One Week in Georgia

**Author's Note:**

  * For [heathenseyes](https://archiveofourown.org/users/heathenseyes/gifts).



> Beta'd by the lovely umbrellas_can on LJ

_December 18th – One Week until Christmas_

  
On Saturday, they said goodbye to their friends. Len watched as Jim smiled and shook Gary’s hand with a laugh and well wishes for the holiday. They were outside, and it was cool with a strong breeze—enough to warrant a jacket over their civvies. Last year it wasn’t this cold. Last year Bones was saying goodbye to Jim to head back to Atlanta alone when he’d discovered Jim didn’t have any plans and dragged him along last minute. By then he’d at least managed to board a shuttle without having a panic attack. This year he thought he might be able to sleep through it, maybe.

  
Len kissed Christine on the cheek with a smile after he found out that she’s headed back to Columbus, where there was already a couple inches of snow. She seemed really happy, and she was already late for the shuttle, so she ran off smiling with her bag slung over her shoulder.

  
Len reminded Jim that they’d be late if they didn’t leave soon, so Jim kissed Gaila one last time before waving at her. Jims smile resonated in what’s left of the group congregating on the lawn, and Bones wonders if he smiled like that last year too. They walked companionably to the station.

  
_December 19th – Six Days until Christmas_

  
Since they left so late in the evening, the shuttle landed around midnight and Jim could feel Bones’ relief as they stepped off the shuttle. They juggled their bags carefully between the rows of seats. “You alright?” Jim offered; Bones nodded but didn’t say much. He would be better when they got home — or to Bones’ home, which had pretty much also become Jim’s. Last year, when Bones’ mother saw Jim she gave him just as loving a hug as she had given her own son and had made a point to get him a stocking and hang it on the fireplace, alongside Bones’ own and with about ten or twelve others. Jim was still baffled at how he also received a new handmade scarf in his favorite colors (red and gold) on Christmas morning along with several other gifts.

  
Mrs. McCoy was waiting at the shuttle dock still when they finally arrived. Bones smiled when he greeted her. “You didn’t have to stay up so late, Mama.” He stood a good six inches taller than the gray-haired woman when he hugged her.

  
“Oh, Lenny, did you think I was gonna let ya find yer way home on yer own?” She scoffed and shook her head, turning to Jim, “And good to see ya, Jimmy.” She smiled and reached for a hug, squeezing him tight around his chest.

  
“You too, Mrs. McCoy.” Jim notes respectfully, feeling awkward. This awarded him with a small, but playful, slap to the cheek.

  
“Don’t be callin' me that. You call me Stephanie or Mom, darling,” she reprimanded him. Jim smiled at how much the endearment sounded like Bones when he talked to Joanna. “Now c’mon, let’s get home. I’m sure you boys could use a decent meal and a good night’s rest.”  
\---

  
In the morning, Jim woke up slowly to the sun beaming in through the window next to Bones’ old bed. After crawling out from under the blue plaid sheets he got dressed and maneuvered down the creaky steps. Smelling pancakes, Jim headed to the kitchen. Bones was sitting at the breakfast bar with a glass of orange juice while his mom stood before the stove. “Morning, Jim,” Bones offered, sounding much cheerier than he ever did at the academy. He was still in his pajama pants and a white t-shirt, his bare feet bent over the rung of the wooden stool he was perched on. Jim smiled and sits next to him.

  
“Morning,” Jim noteed. They sat in silence as Bones got him his own glass of juice and before long Mom put plates in front of both of them.

  
“Thanks Mama, love you.” Bones smiled and dug in. Jim did too, and she smiled as she watched them eat, sipping her coffee.

  
“Lenny,” she said and they both look up. “I’ve got some bad news,” she admitted and Bones sat his fork down. “I talked to Jocelyn.”

  
“And?” He raises an eyebrow.

  
“I asked her if Joanna could stay for a night while you were here, like last year.” Jim watched as Bones’ face lit up like the Christmas tree in the living room. “But she told me that the custody papers don’t even warrant you for a visit at all.” Her voice was quiet, mournful. Jim watched Bones’ expression change to stark disappointment, such that he had never seen his in his best friend. Bones didn’t eat anything else.

  
_December 20th – Five Days until Christmas_

  
On Monday the three of them went shopping. Len could tell Jim was having a damn good time. He was pretty sure that Mama had become the mother, or grandmother, Jim never had. As for Len, he was so much into this. Why fight everyone on the last week before Christmas when you can shop before the rush? Either way, he was content being away from Starfleet, even if it did mean pushing the plastic shopping cart around the store while Jim bonded with Mama and helped her pick out the right gifts. Even if Jo couldn’t come for Christmas, Mom was bringing her siblings and their children and some grandchildren over, so there was bound to be plenty of family and food. Aunt Lisa was already on her way, due to get there the next morning from a Starbase near Mars.

Jim seemed so interested in being with family, and it made Len think about how rough it must have been for Jim, even without Tarsus haunting him. Every once in a while, like now, Len wished that maybe doctors could heal more than just physical injuries.

  
_December 21st –Four Days until Christmas_

  
Aunt Lisa, at sixty-five, was a riot. Jim listened with intent to her stories of traveling and the people she met, talking endlessly about her Starfleet career. Bones never told Jim that she was in Starfleet and currently working as an engineer off-planet. When Jim looked at her hands, he wondered if all engineers are like that, with scars and burn marks that plainly show her hard work, marks which she didn’t even seem to notice anymore. Maybe one day he could be like that, 65 years young and still confidently captaining his own ship through the stars.

  
He kew Bones must have heard these stories a thousand times over, if the fact that he was washing lunch dishes in the kitchen is any giveaway. He stood next to his mother, sleeves pushed up as he handed the clean dishes to her to dry them. They’re smiling and talking about something Jim can’t hear, but they laughed every now and again, and Jim suddenly wanted to know what made Bones laugh like that.

  
“Jimmy?” Aunt Lisa asked, and Jim was suddenly aware that he’d been staring at Bones.

  
“Yes?” She chuckleed as he refocused his attention on her.

  
“You said you want to be Captain?”

  
“Oh yeah, I can't image anyone looking better in the chair than me."

  
_December 22nd – Three Days until Christmas_

  
Len looked down toward the muddy yard as the ladder wobbled. “Hold the damn ladder, Jim,” he barked. It was bad enough that he had to climb up there to hang lights. That was always Dad’s job, but now that he was gone, it was up to Len. Jim came over and steadied the ladder carefully. Len reached with gloved hands and placed the green wire into the clear clips he managed to get Mama to keep up year round. With the front of the porch roof finally done, he looked back down at Jim, ignoring the fear that swirled in his gut. “’M gonna climb up’n hang the ones on the roof,” he explained. He knew his drawl came even deeper when he was home, but he also knew that his family still thought he talked funny with his lessened accent. As for Jim, well, Jim was going to make fun of him well into the New Year.

  
His legs were shaking when he took the few steps across the porch roof to set the string of rainbow lights into the hooks. All was well until he slipped on a small patch of ice and fell flat on his ass. Len was trying to collect himself when Jim climbed up the ladder and was at his side, asking if he was okay. Bones managed to nod and Jim finished the lights before guiding Len down the ladder. Once they reached the earth, Jim kept a reassuring hand on Len’s arm and the doctor relaxed. When Jim finally lets go, Len wished he hadn’t.

  
_December 23rd – Two Days until Christmas_

  
Uncle Scott arrived on Thursday, along with Katie, his wife, Marissa, his daughter, Blake, his daughter’s husband, and Leslie, their daughter, abut Jo’s age. The five of them, plus Aunt Lisa, Bones, Mom, and Jim filled up the sectional and loveseat easily, even with Mom sitting in her old recliner and Dad’s seat remaining respectfully empty. Jim reveled in the loudness of the living room as everyone caught up, and he remained happily silent in his place next to Bones, curled up on the couch beside him with a cup of coffee. Bones had a strong camaraderie with Blake and they laughed loudly at family stories that Jim was never there for, but wished he had been.

  
Once the large group quieted, caught up on the years’ past events, they decided on a movie. ‘Unaccompanied Minors’ is the unanimous choice, even though Jim had never seen it.

  
When Jim moved as close as he could to Bones, it was almost as much for the companionship as it is for Leslie to sit on the couch between Jim and her Daddy.

  
_December 24th- Christmas Eve, One Day until Christmas_

  
Len woke up curled against Jim, recalling how uncomfortable the floor had been the night before and Jim’s appealing invitation. When he shifted Jim woke too, yawning and narrowly missing punching Bones in the face as he stretched. Len noticed for the first time that his arm was curled around Jim’s waist, holding him close. If Jim noticed, he didn’t say anything. He did say, “Morning,” though, as he snuggled closer.

“Jim…”

  
“’S cold outside the bed,” he muttered, closing his eyes as if to go back to sleep. Len glanced at the ticking clock on the wall. It’s only 0700, and he figured a few more hours wouldn’t cause much trouble.

But he didn’t sleep. Instead, he shifted awkwardly to kiss Jim.

  
Jim startled, but didn’t move away. He moved to relieve some of Len’s discomfort.

  
“What was that for?” Jim asked, grinning, as if this was some kind of joke. Len suddenly felt appalled that Jim was laughing at him. He stared for a long moment before getting out of the bed, the cold of the room coming as a shock to him.

  
“Nothing, Jim, go back to sleep.” He couldn’t meet Jim’s eyes, and grabbed some clean clothes before heading to the bathroom.  
\---

  
The day was pretty well reserved for wrapping gifts and being a family, so once Len was clean and dressed he wandered downstairs to the kitchen where Mama was brewing coffee and cooking scrambled eggs and bacon. “Y’makin enough food, Mama?” He laughed, grabbing a spatula and moving in beside her to help.

  
“Got a big family to feed, darlin.” She smiled and kissed him on the cheek, “Why don’t you set the tables? We’ll have to set the bar, kitchen table, and dining room to get everyone eating.”

  
“’Course, Mama.” He sat the spatula back on the counter and began to get dishes out.

  
“Yer certainly up early.”

  
“Wooden floors aren’t exactly comfortable,” he offered.

  
He was only about halfway done when Jim came downstairs, freshly showered. He wordlessly picked up the silverware and began to help. Bones knew exactly what was coming when Jim moved to put silverware at the same place he was putting down a placemat and napkin. His stomach twisted in dread and regret.

  
“Bones.”

  
“Listen Jim,” Len sighed, “It was—“

  
“I wasn’t laughing at you.” Jim defended, knowing exactly what Bones was thinking. It seemed to happen a lot in their friendship.

  
They finished setting the table as the rest of the family came from where they’d slept for the night, grabbing their coffee and taking seats wherever. Leonard didn’t reply, because, well, he didn’t really have one.

  
_December 25th- Christmas Day_

  
The mountain of presents nearly took over the entire living room. Jim and Len came downstairs at the same time, still in their PJ’s. Leslie was already sitting at the kitchen table with her stocking dumped, candy in a pile before her.Bones greeted her with a pat on the head and headed for the kitchen to start the coffee for everyone.

“Bones, can we talk now?” Jim offered. He knew that Len didn’t want to talk about it, but it needed to be done. A grunt of half-agreement came as Jim watched his best friend put filters in each of the coffee machines.  
“I wasn’t laughing at you.” Jim offered again.

  
“Y’said that already.”

  
“I thought you were joking.”

  
“’Course.”

  
“Really, Bones, I want to know if you were serious.” Jim grabbed his arm. Len looked at Jim for a long moment.

  
“No… yes…” He sighed and went back to making coffee, shaking his head. Jim raised an eyebrow.

  
“Bones?”

  
“Jim, I don’t even know why I did it, okay? It was impulsive.” He shrugged. Jim grabbed his arm again and pulled harder, causing water to slosh out of the measuring cup Bones had just filled. He leaned close and kissed Bones, roughly, with no finesse. Bones stepped toward Jim, into the water that landed on the floor, soaking the bottom of his sock. He kissed back gently, and Jim felt the brunette’s eyes flutter shut.

  
Bones shifted, and his hands came to rest against his waist as Jim pushed his tongue into Bones’ mouth. They pressed flush against each other, though didn’t push further, knowing it wasn’t quite time for that.  
“Do you know now?” Jim offered as they pulled apart, blue eyes searching green ones.

  
“Uncle Lenny? Jim? I got your stockings.” Leslie is there. If she saw the exchange, she pretended not to. Bones nodded to Jim and then took the red stockings, smiling.

  
“Let’s see what we got here,” he offered to the girl before putting the water into the coffee brewers and moving to the table with her.  
\---

  
The rest of the family came down within the hour, also in their pajamas, and got their own cups of coffee to take to the couch while Leslie ensured the proper distribution of stockings.

  
They took turns opening presents as the vid recorder watched the whole room of smiling faces, Jim seated closer to Len than was probably necessary and the dog curled up at their feet. As they did so, the doorbell rang.  
Mama spoke. “Lenny, would you answer it please?” she asked with a smile. Bones glanced at Jim as he got up and crossed the room, with everyone watching. Mama picked up the camera to record him answering the door.  
Bones twisted the old-fashioned knob and pulled the door open, the cold air rushing in, but he didn’t notice. Jim watched as a smile overtook Bones’ face and he dropped to his knees and little Joanna in her bright pink coat launched herself at him. He wrapped his arms around her tightly as Jocelyn stepped in, wearing her own pink coat. Bones looked up at her questioningly.

  
“I had a change of heart.” She shrugged. “After all, it is Christmas,” she noted, leaning down to kiss him on the cheek. Mama closed the door and gave a hug to Jocelyn, ushering her in to warm up. Bones carried Joanna across the room and took off her coat and boots, seating her on his lap. "I don't suppose you have breakfast for two more?" She asked, unsure. Len took both girl's hands and led hem to the living room.

  
“I think we’ve got some presents for you around here, baby girl.” He smiled, kissing Joanna's forehead. She squirmed and went to find them as Jim leaned close.

  
“Merry Christmas, Bones.” he offered, grinning mischievously.

  
“What?” Bones asked, caught off guard. Everyone was still watching them. “You did this?” he realized, then, “You lied to me!” he yelped, glaring.

  
“It wasn’t worth it?” he asked.

  
“I hate you so much,” Bones growled, but kissed Jim anyway.


End file.
